Do good looks get the job?

As much as we'd like to think otherwise, human beings exhibit a preference for those who are attractive. Beautiful people are perceived to be more sociable, are happier and more successful. And we have sort of been guilty of judging people based on look.
There are bound to have some bias in hiring job candidates. While we're not surprised to learn that some customer-facing professions (sales, entertainment, airlines) reflect the employer's desire to hire those whose attractiveness may impact the bottom line, however, candidate's physical attractiveness may influence the employment process even for positions that are not considered high-exposure.

Let me share with you my experience that happened few years ago. I went for a job interview at a bank for a particular position. This position was introduced to me by a friend working in that bank. I went ahead and after that, I did not hear any news from the hiring person. I called the bank and they told me they have hired someone for the job. Few days later, my friend working in that bank called me up and told me why I was not selected for that role. She found out from that department that why the person was hired, was because she was better looking than me. So that’s it.

Now, I prefer not to believe this and blame it on my lack of ability to do the job. Boy, I was really sad.

In the face of such pervasive bias toward beauty, it's important to educate employees and customers on diversity and acceptance. When it comes to hiring practices, it's essential to teach hiring managers how to overcome the beauty bias.

- When it comes to interview process in place, one that reflects an appreciation for the different levels of appraisal that are involved in any job interview. Managers should overcome tendency to trust gut instinct and to prompt the kind of questions that can provide solid information about the past performance of a candidate.

- In addition to the hiring manager, involve another level of management in the hiring process. This small team of interviewers can help build a team that's both diverse and cohesive in the process.

- Specify explicit job requirements. That makes it much easier for the hiring manager to refer to the specifics throughout the interview - and to stay away from the more personal aspects. This will help achieve workforce alignment, driving productivity and attracting people who create the most value for their organization.

- Use of assessment tools for a good "fit" for the job and for the corporate culture. This will be based on the most objective measurement of a candidate's abilities.

While we know we never totally get rid of the tendency to judge people on appearance, we can change behavior in ways that matter.